The aim of our study was to analyze the effect of recreational swimming on lung function and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in patients with mild persistent asthma. This study included 65 patients with mild persistent asthma, who were divided into two groups: experimental group A (n = 45) and control group B (n = 20). Patients from both groups were treated with low doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and short-acting β2 agonists salbutamol as needed. Our program for patients in group A was combined asthma education with swimming (twice a week on a 1-h basis for the following 6 months). At the end of the study, in Group A, we found a statistically significant increase of lung function parameters FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec) (3.55 vs. 3.65) (p < 0.01), FVC (forced vital capacity) (4.27 vs. 4.37) (p < 0.05), PEF (peak expiratory flow) (7.08 vs. 7.46) (p < 0.01), and statistically significant decrease of BHR (PD20 0.58 vs. 2.01) (p < 0.001). In Group B, there was a statistically significant improvement of FEV1 3.29 vs. 3.33 (p < 0.05) and although FVC, FEV1/FVC, and PEF were improved, it was not significant. When Groups A and B were compared at the end of the study, there was a statistically significant difference of FVC (4.01 vs. 4.37), FEV1 (3.33 vs. 3.55), PEF (6.79 vs.7.46), and variability (p <0.001), and statistically significantly decreased BHR in Group A (2.01 vs. 1.75) (p < 0.001). Engagement of patients with mild persistent asthma in recreational swimming in nonchlorinated pools, combined with regular medical treatment and education, leads to better improvement of their parameters of lung function and also to more significant decrease of their airway hyperresponsiveness compared to patients treated with traditional medicine

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The aim of the paper was to study the relationship between dietary intake of fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of coronary heart disease. We used data from a case-control study, conducted from 2001 to 2003, among 290 randomly selected cases (mean age 59.98 ± 10.03 years) with first event of an acute coronary syndrome and 290 selected paired controls by sex, age and region (mean age 59.43 ± 10.10 years), admitted to the same hospitals as cases without any suspicion of coronary disease. Using questionnaires, we assessed fruit and vegetable intake and estimated odds ratio of developing coronary heart disease by the intake. The benefit of fruit or vegetable consumption increased proportionally by the number of servings consumed (p for trend < 0.0001). Those in the upper tertile of fruit consumption (≥ 5 items/day) had 60% lower risk for coronary heart disease (odds ratio = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.35-0.89, p < 0.05), when compared to those in the lowest tertile (<1 item/day). Consumption of vegetable ≥3 items/day was associated with 70% lower risk of coronary heart disease (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.09 -0.66, p < 0.05), compared to subjects who did not consume vegetables. In agreement with previous studies, we found an inverse relation between vegetable and fruit intake and coronary heart risk. Consumption of fruits and vegetables seemed to provide significant protection against coronary heart disease.

SUMMARYThe aim of our investigation was to assess HIV/AIDS-related professional risk, knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers in Niš. A cross-sectional study of health personnel from Primary Health Centre, Clinical Medical Centre and Dental Clinic in Niš was performed. The data were collected by an anonymous questionnaire. Mantel-Haenszel χ 2 testing and multiple logistic regression analysis were applied. Results show that 89% of health personnel perceived high professional risk of acquiring HIV infection. The risk perception of acquiring HIV infections was higher among those who were frequently exposed to patients' blood and other body fluids (OR=10.1 95% CI=3.1-32.5), and those who had treated HIV-positive patients (OR=3.0 95% CI=1.0-8.8). The majority of respondents had insufficient knowledge about the modes of HIV transmission. Nearly two thirds of health personnel agreed that every hospitalized patient should be tested for HIV, and more than four fifths of them agreed that their personal protection was more important than the confidentiality of patient's HIV/AIDS status. Twenty nine percent of health personnel use adequate protection during their daily work with patients. These findings indicated a need for urgent educational and training initiatives of HIV and AIDS for all categories of health care workers.

Background: The support of close persons is a protective factor in the suicide epidemiology. The aim of this paper is to determine if there are differences between epidemiological characteristics of the suicides committed by married people in relation to singles.Methods: In order to determine epidemiological characteristics of suicide among married and single people in the southeastern Serbia 628 suicides committed from 1995 to 2002 among persons 20 years of age and over were analysed. To compare suicide rates between married and single persons χ² test was performed.Results: From 628 registered suicides, 188 were performed by women, and 440 by men. The average annual suicide rate among males was 24.1 per 100,000 and among females it was 9.9. The highest rates were among widowed (139.0) and divorced men (63.2). The highest risk factor for suicide was to be widowed (men: RR=8.35; women: RR=2.75). The suicide trend among women, both married and single has been declining, whilst among males it has been on significant increase. Seasonality of suicides, weekly and daily distribution had a small influence on the epidemiological characteristics of suicides. Married women committed more suicides by poisoning than single women (p=0.02). In both groups, the most frequent way is hanging.Conclusion: Though marital status plays important role in an increasing rates of suicide, time and the way of its happening, this role is not decisive. Single people are very vulnerable and the time and way of suicide show that their reasons are more serious than among married ones.

SuMMAryThe aim of this study is to find association between some groups of occupational stressors and serum lipids and glucose concentrations in professional drivers in road traffic. The study included 417 male professional drivers (162 inter city bus drivers, 36 suburban bus drivers, 33 city bus drivers, 81 truck drivers, 71 official car drivers and 34 professional taxi drivers). Occupational stressors were identified and total occupational stress index score was measured by standardized questionnaire authorized by Karen Belkic. Occupational stressors were divided into seven groups (underload, high demand, strictness, extrinsic time pressure, noxious exposures, avoidance and conflict). Serum glucose and lipids concentrations (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triacylglycerols) were measured in study group of drivers. Maximal total OSI values were achieved in group of professional truck drivers. The highest values of serum glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triacylglycerols and the lowest values of serum HDL cholesterol were found at professional truck drivers. With the increase of occupational stress index, there is an increase of the serum glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triacylglycerols concentration in the exposed group of drivers. Specific analytes thresholds′ level of occupational stress index exists.

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke leads to very serious health effects, especially on the respiratory system. The objective of this paper was to estimate the influence of passive smoking on absence from work because of respiratory problems in women. The study sample consisted of 497 women aged 40-56 who live in an area with identical outdoor air pollution. Environmental tobacco smoke exposure was recorded in 346 women. Data about respiratory symptoms in women were entered into a structured questionnaire. Statistics tests showed no significant difference of living conditions, keeping pets, hereditary predisposition among women. The occurrence of congested nose (OR=3.47; 95% CI=1.38-9.01), nasal secretion (OR=3.48; 95% CI=1.38-9.02) and sinusitis (OR=2.88; 95% CI=1.22-6.89) was significantly higher in women who were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Primary health care need for respiratory symptoms due to the effect of passive smoking is higher in the exposed women. Passive smoking can be a risk factor for the appearance of respiratory symptoms and illness in women that causes absence from work.

The results provide evidence of adverse respiratory effects of passive smoking to children being exposed to smoke in domestic setting. These findings emphasize the need for effective measures of prevention of involuntary smoking during childhood in Serbia.